The Weekend and Beyond

Saturday Night Metro
Metrorail will fall back along with the rest of us for the time change this weekend. You're clock will lose an hour at 2 a.m. Sunday as Daylight Saving Time ends. But you don't have to make any fancy calculations about the Metrorail schedule. The trains will run till 3 a.m. by the clock, as usual.

One thing you should do if staying out that late is to make sure you know when the last train leaves the station you plan to use. That can vary somewhat around closing time. The last depature time is posted in each station. It's also listed online on each of the station pages, which you can reach by using this link.

Metrorail Delays
There's still no reprieve from the weekend delays because of maintenance projects. This weekend, it's track and bridge maintenance on the Blue, Orange and Green lines causing delays where trains take turns on a single track to get around the work zones. See the full details here on Metro's Web site.

By the way, the transit authority is continuing with that very helpful policy of publicizing the track work schedule a month in advance. This is the link to the November schedule. Notice that track work will be suspended around Thanksgiving.

Kenilworth Avenue Delays
The District is resurfacing Kenilworth Avenue at Burroughs Avenue NE this weekend. The job (started friday night) should be done by midnight SundayNov. 2. Expect congestion.

The two northbound right-hand lanes will be closed just before the bridge over Burroughs Avenue. Northbound traffic will be shifted into a single lane. Stay left. The exit to Kenilworth Avenue at the Burroughs Avenue/Minnesota Avenue exit will remain open. Two southbound lanes also will remain open.

Route 32 Changes
Maryland's State Highway Administration has opened two new ramps and removed two traffic signals along Route 32 (Sykesville Road) at Burntwoods Road in Howard County. It's part of a $27 million project to reduce congestion and improve safety along a busy roadway. The work is scheduled to be done in the spring.

Motorists heading for Burntwoods Road, Pfefferkorn Road and Ten Oaks Road from Route 32 now will take those new ramps. Also, the new Burntwoods Road Bridge over Route 32 is open to traffic.

Route 29 in Howard
The highway administration also has begun a $500,000 project to improve the acceleration and deceleration lanes along Route 29 at Old Columbia Road. Those "flex posts" at the intersection will be replaced with a concrete island. The work will continue into early December, SHA says. Old Columbia Road is closed at Route 29 for the construction work.

Darker Commute
With the annual roll back of the clocks early Sunday morning, we're entering the season of darker homebound commutes. The sudden adjustment is tough for both drivers and pedestrians, and they need to watch out for each other.

Metro Open Late
The trains will be running till 1 a.m. MondayNov. 3 night because of the football game at FedEx. Remember that if you're parking at a Metro lot or garage, you're going to have to pay, because it's a weekday.

Va. Bus Route Revamp
The transit authority wants riders to help improve Metrobus routes 28A and 28B, which travel through very congested neighborhoods between King Street Metro station and Tysons Corner. There will be two meetings to discuss passengers' concerns and their ideas on how to improve service. The first, at 7:15 p.m. Thursday, is for Spanish speakers. It's at Corpus Christi School, 3305 Glen Carlyn Road, Falls Church. A second session, in English, will be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 12, at the Westin Hotel, 7801 Leesburg Pike, Tysons Corner.

Metro Seeks Volunteers
There are eight seats open on the Metro Riders' Advisory Council, a 21-member volunteer group that advises the transit authority board of directors. Council positions are available for Arlington County, the District and Prince George's County residents. Two at-large seats also are open.

The board will fill the slots in December. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. Nov. 7. You can fill out an application form on the Metro Web site, at www.wmata.com or pick up an application at Metro sales offices in Metro Center, the Pentagon Transit Center or Metro headquarters, which is at 600 Fifth St. NW.